


Nightmares Are Dreams Too

by NobodyAkashaAmariel



Category: Original Work
Genre: Dreams and Nightmares, F/M, Gen, I now know how to say fuck you in flower, Lucid Dreaming, Mythology References, So many hidden meanings..., Weird Shopkeepers, Why Did I Write This?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-28
Updated: 2020-05-28
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:27:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,952
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24421294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NobodyAkashaAmariel/pseuds/NobodyAkashaAmariel
Summary: Deciding to visit a mysterious shop that opened recently, Poppy receives the dreams she has always wished for... But at what price?





	Nightmares Are Dreams Too

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first work, so please go easy on me! :)

Finding the Parlour

Poppy grimaced as soon as the lift's doors closed and she had pressed the button to go to the reception on the ground floor. Her life as an underpaid lift operator was incredibly monotonous and not at all what she had planned for adulthood. Sadly, this was her life: a continuous greeting of rude customers and pressing buttons in an overcrowded lift. The only thing that spiced up her day was when she listened in on visitors conversations. 

"Good Afternoon! Which floor would you like to go to?", Poppy asked the group entering her lift. "Floor Thirteen", a nondescript member of the group answered, before returning to his groups' conversation. Poppy gave her "customers smile" and pushed the button to close the doors. Returning to her previous position, she clasped her hands together and began eavesdropping.   
"I'm telling you, this place is legit!", one of the men said to his friend. "I know, you idiot. I've been there before", his friend replied, rolling his eyes, "The dreams I had were incredible." "Yeah! Faustus Parlour is brilliant!", one of the groups women exclaimed, "It's a great way to escape this world!".

The lift dinged, arriving at Floor Thirteen. The group left, still discussing the parlour. Poppy hummed to herself, returning to the reception. Poppy had heard several groups talking about the "Faustus Parlour", and she had gotten curious. Her shift would end in half an hour, and it wouldn't hurt her to see what the mysterious parlour was all about.

\--------------------  
Strange Shopkeepers

The Faustus Parlour was an occult shop. Its walls were covered in strange symbols and markings, and the windows were dirty and cracked, distorting the inside of the 'parlour'. Entering the shop made Poppy feel like she had entered another universe and time. The parlour was dimly lit by gas lights and candles, and it seemed to be enveloped in a shimmery haze. Burning herbs and incense sticks filled the parlour with sweetly smelling smoke. Old shelves overflowing with large tomes, creepy statues, and other knickknacks lined the walls.

While Poppy had been observing her surroundings, someone had approached her from behind. "Can I help you?", they asked. Poppy flinched, not having heard them approaching. "I'm sorry, I hadn't meant to startle you!", the person, most likely the shopkeeper, apologised. "My name is Alvah, and I am one of the owners of 'Faustus Parlour'! The other two are my siblings, Samael, the massive flirt that he is, and Aeron, my incredibly antisocial sibling!".

Alvah was an albino and seemed to adore the colour white if her clothes were any indication. Everything about her was pure white, even her socks and shoes. She seemed endlessly cheerful, but there was something about her smile that unnerved Poppy.  
"It's alright", Poppy said, "You hadn't meant to scare me." "That's a relief", Alvah beamed, "I take it you're here for one of our infamous dreams?" Poppy hesitantly nodded a confirmation. Alvah beamed and turned on her heel. "Samael! Three dreams for a new customer!" A truly stunning male looked up from the book he was reading and nodded, standing up and sauntering to the back. "Aeron!", Alvah shouted at a sullen person standing in the corner, "You too! Get a dream!". Smiling again, Alvah turned back around to Poppy. "Don't worry about paying; the first three dreams are free. I'll go get a dream for you, feel free to browse my parlour!". With that said, Alvah dashed towards where her siblings had gone, leaving Poppy to look around. Sighing, she began inspecting the shelves.

\------------------------------------  
Meeting Brenna and Receiving the Dreams

"You should leave", a quiet voice spoke.  
Poppy blinked and looked up from the statue she was examining. She turned to the speaker and looked her up and down.   
The pale girl was wearing a raggedy victorianesque black dress that went down to just above her knees. Her messy black hair was held back by an old black ribbon and the girl's entire frame was smeared with soot. The bottom half of her dress, her stockings, her sleeves, her hands- all covered in soot. The only thing not stained was her face. It was an elegant face, one that could have belonged to a model had it belonged to anyone else. The girls' eyes were the only splash of colour on her, being a bright emerald green.

"Excuse me", Poppy asked puzzled, "Who are you?”  
"My name is Brenna", the girl-Brenna- answered," and you should leave before it is too late."   
Poppy stared at her, confused. On a second glance, Brenna seemed scared of something. Her eyes kept on wandering over the shop and she was jittery, unable to stop wringing her hands.   
"No", Poppy declared after a pause, "I won't leave until I get what I want." Brenna's face fell at that statement. She opened her mouth, maybe to argue against Poppy's decision before she abruptly snapped it shut and disappeared.

Quite literally at that too. Poppy blinked and spun in a circle, trying to find the strange girl.

"Is everything alright?", one of the shopkeepers asked her. "I hope nobody was bothering you?”, he continued. Poppy shifted and wondered if she should mention Brenna, but finally decided not to. Something told her not to.  
"No, nobody was bothering me", Poppy lied, smiling uneasily. The albino, Alvah, narrowed her gaze, but then smiled. "That's good! We wouldn't want a valued customer being chased away by rude children!" Her grin widened, showing pearly white teeth. Her canines looked sharper than most. "My siblings should be bringing out their dreams shortly!", her grin seemed to brighten, "Now, as per policy, I have to explain how to use our dreams!".

Alvah gave Poppy what she had been holding. It was a small see-through bottle containing a peculiar liquid. It was milky white and looked gelatinous. "Really, all you need to do is drink this before you go to sleep, preferably after you've brushed your teeth!" Poppy nodded along, wanting to hurry things along and leave.  
Luck appeared to be on her side. Aeron appeared soundlessly and just pressed their bottle into Poppy's hands. This bottle's liquid was a deep red and had the consistency of ketchup. "Mix it with water", Aeron growled, before showing their hand into their pockets and prowling away. Samael handed her a vermillion liquid. "I suggest you drink this one first", he purred, giving Poppy a seductive grin. She blushed and nodded, glancing away. "I hope you enjoy your dreams!", Alvah exclaimed, drawing Poppy's attention back to her. "Feel free to return for more!” Poppy gave one last nod, said goodbye, and left.  
Had she turned around, she would have seen the shopkeepers grinning sadistically and in Aeron's case chuckling darkly.

A sooty Raven let out a mournful cry in a golden cage in the shops darkest corner.

Poppy's journey home, as well as the rest of her day, passed quickly, and soon enough she was in bed, inspecting the bottle Samael had given her. Poppy gave a non-committal hum and downed the drink, taking a gulp of water quickly afterwards. She set both glass and bottle on the nightstand and turned off the light. Her eyes grew heavy almost instantly and she soon fell asleep.

\------------------  
First Dream: Babylon

Poppy woke up on a carved stone bench. She was wearing a thin green dress that had only one sleeve. Her face was obscured by a sheer veil, and her hair was covered by a white cloth that went to her knees. Gold bracelets circled her wrists and ankles, and she wore fabric slippers. The sun shone brightly down onto the earth, and the humidity was high. Exotic and colourful plants were strategically placed throughout what Poppy realised to be a garden. She got up and walked along the tiled path until she reached a small intersection. Precious stones and gems covered pillars that stood proudly, entangled in blossom-covered vines. Flower pots were hanging from them, displaying their multi-coloured flowers proudly. There were stairs to Poppy's right, their railings made out of lapis lazuli, and with Lions of Babylon seemingly protecting them. 

Her eyes widened, recognising where she was. For although some of the architecture was different than theorised, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon were hard to mistake. Poppy walked up the second pair of stairs, looking for a better vantage point. Vines covered in pink flowers encircled pillars of stone and hung from higher bannisters. Man-made streams flowed under bridges and became waterfalls that descended to the floors beneath her. Stopping under the shade of a date-palm, she could now see the courtyard previously obscured by the foliage.

Three women were dancing in the courtyard. Gathering from their modest clothing, they seemed to be practising for an upcoming event. Their movements were fluid as well as elegant and matched the beguiling tune being provided by the musicians standing on the lawn.  
A low chuckle came from behind Poppy and strong, tattooed arms snaked around her waist, pinning her arms to her side, yet she wasn't frightened. "Enjoying my gardens, Minussa?", a male voice purred into her ear, "I'm sure that together we could have a much more enjoyable time." Poppy blushed at the innuendo, which made the unknown man laugh. "Still so shy", he sighed, turning Poppy around to face him.

A blonde Adonis stood before her. His chest was sculpted like marble, his arms and neck were encircled by ruby-encrusted gold circlets and from his ears dangled pure golden earrings. His clothes seem to be made of the softest cotton, and his robe was dyed a deep red, with a golden pattern sewn into it.  
The man smirked, bringing her attention to his ruby eyes.

"Admiring the divine body of your king, are you?", the man said arrogantly. Poppy's face flushed softly, and she turned her head away from the king, looking at the ground to her left. One of the kings calloused hands tenderly gripped her chin, bringing her head up to look at his face.   
"Did I allow you to look away? You should feel honoured that I let you admire my divine body-the body of King Sin-ahhi-eriba."  
And although his sentence was practically dripping with arrogance, he handled her with care and was looking at her, expression endlessly soft. "Come, Minussa", he commanded gently, "I know where we can get a better view of the dancers.".

The king, Sin-ahhi-eriba put his arm around her and possessively pulled her to his side. Poppy rolled her eyes slightly but didn't resist, letting him lead her back to the intersection she had come from.  
He gently pulls her towards the stone arch covered in greenery. Placing himself down on the wooden bench underneath the arch, he tugged Poppy onto his lap. From their new vantage point, they have a perfect view of the courtyard. Sighing in contentment, Poppy leant into Sin-ahhi-eriba -her dream king- and closed her eyes, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere. Gradually, Poppy grew drowsy and began to drift off. However, before she actually fell asleep, she felt a soft, yet firm pressure on her brow.  
"Sweet dreams, my Minussa.”

\---------------  
Between Dreams

Poppy woke up smiling. The dream had been incredible, and the king- Sin-ahhi-eriba -had been charming. She sighed, wishing that people would look at her like the king had, and not just skip over her like she doesn't exist.  
Poppy sat up and yawned, feeling more tired than usual. She padded towards the bathroom to get ready for the day. Looking into the mirror, she blinked at the dark rings under her eyes. "I look exhausted", Poppy muttered to herself, before shrugging and changing into her uniform.

Throughout the day, Poppy kept yawning, luckily not falling asleep during her shift. Eventually, her shift was over, and Poppy felt happy that she managed to leave early. Poppy hurried home, trying to avoid the heavy rain that had been predicted.   
After reheating some leftover Lasagne for dinner, Poppy got ready for bed. This time she didn't hesitate, mixing the red liquid with water and quickly downing it. Sleep overcame her quickly.

\-------------------------  
Second Dream: Blankenberge

Poppy woke up on a beach. To be more precise, she woke up on a bench between sandy dunes, wearing a flattering black dress with a blue ribbon-like belt. Poppy breathed in the sea breeze and faintly heard the braying of donkeys. The latter confused her slightly, as she had never encountered donkeys on a beach before, so she stood up to find out where the donkeys were. After Poppy left the dunes and arrived at the seaside, she smiled. Poppy recognised the scene that greeted her from an old postcard her grandmother had. She was in Blankenberge during the early 1900s. The donkeys she had heard were tied to a hitching post parallel to the sea, with their owners waiting for customers to ride them. Children splashed around in the water, while their parents enjoyed the warm weather. Couples and families strolled along the beach, laughing and having fun.

Two such families were standing further away to her right, chatting to each other. For a second, it seemed like one of the women was staring right at her, with yellow eyes and pitch-black sclera. Poppy blinked, and the woman was chatting happily with the other mother. She studied the woman a little longer but after seeing no change, Poppy turned away, dismissing it as a trick her mind had pulled on her. Smiling to herself, Poppy started wandering along the shore, making sure that she wasn't too close to the water, as not to get her hemline wet.

Occasionally she saw a shadowy figure in the corner of her eye, but when she turned her head to look, it was just another passer-by. Poppy continued walking along the beach until dusk, which is when she decided to walk the streets of Blankenberge. Eventually, she arrived at a park and decided to rest on a bench. There, she overheard two people having a hushed conversation.

"Did--hear?", a young woman asked her friend, eyes darting around looking for eavesdroppers, "---Germany plans------war." "No!”, her friend gasped, "----wouldn't---far! Are you sure? I know--------tense----Archduke----, but surely---------bad? What---mediation attempts?" The first woman shook her head slightly and replied. "--husband, ------his job, -----failed".

Poppy cocked her head to the side, wondering what they were talking about. What little she did hear seemed familiar, but she had never been the best at history.  
However, before she could figure it out, her eyelids grew heavy and shut. When she next opened her eyes, she was lying in her bed, with the sounds of the city loud outside her window.

\-------  
Reality

Going through her daily routine took even more of an effort than usual, her sluggishness making her slow and clumsy. It affected her work as well, her boss sending her home early, worried that she would infect the hotels' customers. As soon as she got back to her apartment, she dropped onto her bed, not bothering to take off her shoes. Without preamble, she got out the last bottle and gulped down the white tincture. Her eyes closed within seconds, and the bottle slipped out of her slack hand and fell to the floor, shattering into thousands of tiny shards.

\------------------  
Asphodel Meadows

When Poppy next opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was an empty blue sky. This was her first clue that something was wrong. Her dreams were supposed to be happy and cheerful, not silent and bland. For all the sky was clear, there were no sounds. No birds were chirping, no laughter was on the wind. The silence was eerie.  
Poppy sat up from her lying position and looked around. An endless grey meadow greeted her wherever she looked. In the distance, she could see shadowy grey figures shambling around, or standing unnaturally still. A cold wind blew through the meadow, caressing Poppy's skin. Poppy shuddered, an ominous feeling growing within her.

The closer Poppy got to the figures, the more wraithlike they became. She reached the figure closest to her. It was a pale, washed-out woman. Her defining features were hazy. Poppy seemed unable to focus on the woman's face, with the only clear things being her eyes. They were unfocused, staring into the distance and pale film seemed to be covering them. 

"Hello?", Poppy asked hesitantly reaching out to lay her hand on the wraith's shoulder. Her hand passed straight through. Poppy stumbled back, her hands pressed against her heaving chest. Her heart was beating erratically and her breaths escaped her in shallow pants. The woman didn't react, continuing to stare vacantly into the distance.

Poppy jerked her head around, searching for others. She ran to the next person and tried to touch them as well. It didn't work. Poppy became frantic, running from one wraith to the next, trying to get even the smallest of reactions. Nothing.  
Finally, she collapsed, crying. The wraiths wouldn't react, didn't even seem to realise that others were there. They just stared quietly into the distance, some walking stiltedly, others standing strangely still. All ignored Poppy's plight.

"I wish I could return to my first dream", she sobbed, "Or that I had never even heard of 'Faustus Parlour’!". Poppy continued to cry until finally, she spoke in the softest voice; "I wish I could have my old life back.". What seemed like days passed, with Poppy just crying where she had collapsed until she had no tears left to cry. She remained sitting there for hours, not moving a muscle. 

Eventually she stood, eyes vacant and staring into the distance. She remained standing there for an indeterminable time. Then she started walking stiltedly.

**Author's Note:**

> The King in the Babylon Dream is inspired by Gilgamesh from the Fate Series. Poppy's outfit in it is also inspired by Siduri (Fate).


End file.
